Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-26
OOURrsHsP ~ TaR BiRDs.
Some Pretty Thoushss BY Oos Who Hss Given
the subject Attention.

Some Pretty Thoushts By Oos Who Hss Given
the subject Attention.
l.. n j. In Country Gentleman.
We rarely realize how the play OF lie Is an.
acted by the birds, which in the spring time
swarm In the woodlands and hover over the
prairie& Perhaps In nothing Ia this better
seen than In the means by which the fsath.
cred gallants strive 70 win the affections of
the gentlsr sex among the birda The history
OF the Middle Ages" IL full OF tales Of con
flicts In which mon engsgesi for love OF some
fair lady, and even In our own time many q
deld could tell ssd tales Of blood shed In set
tlement OF rivalries, but never fiercer fight
wSs Waged than We may see among our
feathered friends.
Let US for . moment fancy ourssy YES trans.
ported Tar away 70 the home Of the "Rufi,"
one Of the most pugnacious OF birds. Peer
Ing through the rseds and grasses, a. I push
them to one aide, do you sse before you that
space OF turf troddsn bare, In the centre are
two birds fighting. They dash at each other,
ssizing each other with their bills and strik.
Ing like game cockS Around the neck OF
each II extended . huge run OF feathers, " which
hss given the bird It's name. This serves as
partial protection N the body. At one side
stand the members Of the other sex, watching
the contest with interest For short time
We watch their struggles till an unlucky
movement disturbs some of the on. look ers
and In moment all are goua
But the "RuH" IL not alone IN his willing.
ness to prove his bravery In battle. Scores
the small hammiug birds will fight with the
greatest fury TO drive OIL some intrusive
rival. Indeed II would perhaps he no exsR.
geration to say that the majority OF the birds
will challenge rival TO combat
some whose greatest charm Ii their voice |;
and sweet indeed are the songs they sing.
The males OF one OF the Australian birds ~.
semble Ia companies and engage In trials OF
skill with the voice. Their notes are said to
be exceedingly agreeable. But we need not
60 to distant lsnds to hear these love songs of
the birds. Have you ever stood in the fields
ON beautiful morning In June, while from y
tree before you poured . perfect Hood OF
sweet-voiced rival from the distant thickst?
And have you not searched IN vain for the
mysterious songstar till from out the
branches, with parting burst OF song, down
to the meadow below dropped . small spar
rowf ! fancy II you could have looked
among the grasses you would have found
there HE sdmiring mate, aud perhaps
dainty nest
We find in bird life, too, the fellow who
thinks he can dance; and never more awk.
ward dancer was seen than some OF these.
Yet their curious antics seem to charm the
onlookers Of the other sex. Some OF our
North American grouse get together In CON.
panios Of sCOro or more and iun around In
circle performing the most curious antics.
however, 10 the Black Cock, one OF the
European grousa These birds have regular
dancing placea During the performance
the bird uttsrs the strsngest noises. Spread.
inR oil his feathers, he takes Q few jumps In
various directions, sometimes in q circle,
pressing the undsrside OF the bill on the
ground, and meanwhile beating his wings
and turning around and around. AZ he
grows more excited, faster and faster he
moves till h0 seoms almost frantic. After he
has finished showing what he can do In the
way OF dancing he 10 ready for war, and the
entertainment usually closes with Q free
fight Oftentimes the same bird will visit
several meeting places 10 one day In order to
prove his strength and valor to all rivals.
Year after year In the springtime the birds
meet In these assembling places, and the
hunters take advantage OF the fact TO shoot
them.
Deep In the forests OF Guiana lives bird
beautiful OF its kind. 1t is the kupcols, or
Cook OF the Rock. Right royalty IL he clad
In suit OF orange with splendid fan. shaped
crese The female has 10 cOntent herself
with I P!ainsr sS, and lee. sorgsous apparel Few
beautiful bird, but one has brought us mar.
velous tales OF its home life, snd none more
curious than those OF IT, balla We will 10,
him describe II In HE own words:
"a troop OF these beautiful birds was cele.
0raeing IT. dances on the smooth surface OF q
rock about score of them were seated on
the branches - spectators, while one OF the
male bride with proud self confidence, and
spreadtng tail and wings was dancing on the
rock. He scratched the ground or ieapsd
vertically into the cdr, oontinuing these slta
fa'ory movements until he Wss tired, WheI
another male took his placa The females
meanwhile looked on sttsatively ana sp
plauded the performance with Isudstof,
crtss" The indiana lie 10 walt with thsi
biowpipes near the plaoes where they ar,
| gun, easily shoot several Of, the spectatOr,
With the poisoned arrows bsf6ks the rest TAX,
| the alarm.
| We have spoken Of the songs OF birds bu
some oa them are NO mean peSfos mers In th,
volume 10 concerned. DID you ever hear h
tho woods tn spetng sound IKE the distsn
Soll q dsumS II you have tHaay yoI